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LINCOLN DAY 
CONVOCATION 

FOR THE 

UNIVERSITY OF 
ILLINOIS 



WILLIAM CHAUNCY LANGDON 



LINCOLN DAY 
CONVOCATION 

FOR THE 

UNIVERSITY OF 
ILLINOIS 



WILLIAM CHAUNCY LANGDON 



Urbana- Champaign , I~ 
Illinois 
1918 



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CopyriKht, 1918 

By William Chauncy Langpon 

All Rights Reserved 



(gCI.D 4Nfl94 

l-tB 25 1^18 



y 



THE PERSONS OF THE 
CONVOCATION 

The President of the University of Illinois 

The Deans of the University of Illinois 

The University War Committee 

The University Commandant 

The Commandant of the United States School of 
Military Aeronautics 

America 

Illinois 

Abraham Lincoln 



LINCOLN DAY 
CONVOCATION 

FOR THE 

UNIVERSITY OF 

ILLINOIS 



On the platform of the Aiiditorium of the University of 
Illinois is raised a dais, on ivhich are two seats. In front at 
either side are groups of seats. 

The Music plays a Prelude in inarch time, composed by J. 
Lawrence Erb on the Lincoln theme. From one side there en- 
ter the President and Deans of the University of Illinois, and 
the University Commandant, and the Committee on Lincoln 
Day Convocation. From the other side there enter the War 
Committee of the University and the Commandant of the U, S. 
School of Military Aeivnautics. They take seats on either side 
at the front. When the music comes to an erid, the President of 
the University rises. 



President : Men, Women of the University, 
My fellow-members of the Faculty. 
And Students in these various Colleges : — 



This is the day whereon the greatest son 
Of Illinois was born, — that kindly man 
Who in his single-hearted self summed up 
The best of all that — North, and South, and East, 
And West — we strive to be ; and therefore who 
Has well been called "The First American". 
On February twelfth, in eighteen nine. 
Near Hodgensville, Kentucky, on a farm, 
Was Abraham Lincoln born. 

Wherefore this day 
In all the States by law is duly held 
In honor and in grateful memory, 
And I today as President have called 
The University of Illinois 
In worthy Convocation, fittingly 
To recognize this anniversary. 



As the President returns to his seat, all the people join in 
singing four stanzas of the State Song, 

Illinois 

By thy rivers gently flowing, Illinois, Illinois, 

O'er thy prairies verdant growing, Illinois, Illinois, 

Comes an echo on the breeze. 

Rustling through the leafy trees. 
And its mellow tones are these, Illinois. Illinois! 

Thou didst hear thy country calling, Illinois, Illinois, 
Mid the din of war appalling. Illinois, Illinois, 

Then thy courage and thy will 

Rose each heart to fire and thrill ; 
Brave and loyal thou are still, Ilinois. Illinois! 

Not without thy wondrous story, Illinois. Illinois! 
Can be writ the nation's glory, Illinois, Illinois, 

On the record of thy years 

Al)ram Lincoln's name appears. 
Grant and Logan and our tears, Illinois. Illinois! 



While thy glory we are singing, Illinois, Illinois, 
Loyal homage to thee bringing, Illinois, Illinois, 
Let us praise His Holy name 
Through Whose might all good we claim. 
Who has wrought thy wondrous fame, Illinois, Illinois ! 



DuHng the first stanza the State of Illinois comes in 
attended by a military escort. She is robed in a gown of gold, 
with overvesture and cloak of Statehood blue, and carries the 
State Flag of Illinois. She goes up and stands before the lower 
of the ttvo seats on the dais. At the conclusion of the State 
Song she reaches forth her hand with devoted pride. 



Illinois : Ever at sound of his majestic name 
Swiftly I come across the prairies, far 
Golden with corn, or blizzard-swept and white 
With winter snow. So now my soul is here 
With you who gratefully remember him. 
My greatest son. Observant, kindly, firm. 
Forgetful of himself and private ends. 
Most jocular when most heart-sunk in sadness, 
Strong he lifted up the grievous weight, 
The fiery burden of distracted times. 
And on his high, broad shoulders bore it. 

What woman does not watch with loving pride 

The stalwart son of her young motherhood ! 

With fearful ecstacy she sees him grow. 

Outstrip her fondest hopes, her best laid plans, 

And stride along, a giant among his fellows. 

SoL 

From out the shelter of my care he went. 

Beyond the waving limits of the corn. 

He heard his Country's call ; he went ; he served ; 

He wrought for her victoriously ; and died. 

America ! Thou Spirit Glorious ! 

Mother of all the States ! Transcendent Soul, 

Who everywhere art present, urging us 

[7] 



To ever nobler heights of sacrifice 

And service, and most present only there 

Where thine ideals most are realized, 

My son was dear to you ! At thought of him 

Thy face, like mine, gleams forth its loving pride : 

For truly was he thy son, as well as mine ! 

Reveal thyself among us, tokening 

Thy love for him whose day we recognize ! 

As Illinois stretches forth her hand in appeal, the Music 
plays The Star-Spangled Banner. Down the central aisle 
comes the figure of America, attended by a military escort. 
She is robed in ivhite, with a golden girdle and a golden Liberty 
cap. She carries the American Flag in her right hand and 
ivears the Shield of the United States on her left shoulder. She 
goes up the steps onto the platform and on up the steps of the 
dais, taking her place in front of the higher seat. All the people 
of the Convocation join in singing two stanzas of 

The Star-Spangled Banner 

Oh ! say, can you see by the dawn's early light. 

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, 

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous 

fight. 
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming. 
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air. 
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. 
Oh ! say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? 

Oh ! thus be it ever when freemen shall stand 

Between their loved homes and wild war's desolation ; 

Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven rescued land - 

Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation. ■ 

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, " 

And this be our motto, — "In God is our trust!" 

And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave 

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! 

America stands in front of her seat, and Illinois remains 
at the foot of the dais. 

[8] 



America : I come. 

For highly do I honor Lincoln's name : 
Through all the States that gather neath the Flag, 
Confederate South as M^ell as Federal North, 
His name is held in deepest reverence. 

But not in mere commemoration now 

I come. The Flag is called across the seas, 

To lead its hosts to fight for Liberty : 

In peril is the Freedom of the World. 

Arise ! I call, — America ! The Flag 

Advances ! See, it summons you to come ! 

Yes, every man and woman, every child 

Is needed to redeem the stricken earth. 

Some fighting with our Allies there in France. 

Some working to support them here at home. 

You honor Lincoln. Will you follow him? 
What would his answer be ? The world cannot 
Endure half slave, half free. Still do his words 
Set fire to the deeds of Illinois? 
Still does his spirit lead you all, as then? 
Or does there lurk in Illinois a soul. 
Although but one, that has not caught the fire 
Of his imperial soul, — one poor, mean soul 
That would not claim a share in sacrifice, 
But fatten safely here in greedy debt 
For life and all he has to British blood. 
To Belgian courage, to Canadian daring. 
And the sacrifices France has made? 
Fate had its ruthless way, and Lincoln died ; 
But does his mighty spirit live here still 
Among the sons and daughters of his State? 

Illinois : His spirit lives here still ! 

America : Choose well your words ! 

The accolade of sacrifice straight falls 
On all who claim them heirs of Lincoln's name. 

[9] 



Illinois : We call upon him now to witness that 

We consecrate ourselves, beneath the Flag, 

To Liberty and to its rescue ! — 

Oh Lincoln, spirit freed from earth's strict bonds, 

Speak once again thy words of fire, for us, 

And once again the State of Illinois 

Lead with her Sister States to stake their all 

For Freedom and the Rights of all Mankind ! 

Again the Organ plays the Lincoln music. From one side 
Lincoln enters. Illinois, the first to see him, raises her flag. 
Lincoln removing his high stove-pipe hat, hows. The people on 
the platform rise. Lincoln advances a feiv steps, then turns 
and bows, paying his tribute to America. He then stands mo- 
tionless, his hat in his hand, until the music is finished. Then 
he raises his hand and speaks. Illinois remains standing at the 
foot of the dais. 

Lincoln: I cannot fly from my thoughts: my solicitude for 
this great country follows me wherever I go. 

Our popular government has often been called an ex- 
periment. Two points in it our people have already settled 
— the successful establishing and the successful adminis- 
tering of it. One still remains — its successful maintenance 
against a formidable attempt to overthrow it. Such will 
be a great lesson of peace, teaching all the folly of being 
the beginners of a war. 

This is essentially a people's contest, and this issue 
embraces more than the fate of these United States. It 
presents to the whole family of man the question whether 
a constitutional republic, or a democracy — a government 
of the people by the same people — can or can not maintain 
its territorial integrity against its foes. It forces us to ask, 
Is there in all republics this inherent and fatal weakness? 
Must a government of necessity be too strong for the lib- 
erties of its own people, or too weak to maintain its own 
existence? 

Fellow-citizens, ice can not escape history. We will 
be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal signifi- 
cance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. 
The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down 
in honor or dishonor to the latest generation. We, even we 

[10] 



here, hold the power and bear the responsibility. We shall 
nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth. 

We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties 
of Heaven ; we have been preserved these many years in 
peace and prosperity ; we have grown in numbers, wealth, 
and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we 
have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand 
which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched 
and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the 
deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were 
produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. 
Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too 
self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and pre- 
serving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. 

It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the 
offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray 
for clemency and forgiveness. It is for us here to be dedi- 
cated to the great task remaining before us ; that we here 
highly resolve that this nation shall have a new birth of 
freedom; and that government of the people, by the 
people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth. 
And having thus chosen our course, without guile and 
with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God and go 
forward without fear and with manly hearts. Let us have 
faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to 
the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it. 

Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this 
mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if 
God wills that it continue, as was said three thousand 
years ago, so still it must be said, "The judgments of the 
Lord are true and righteous altogether." 

With malice toward none, with charity toward all, 
with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, 
let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the 
nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the 
battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which 
may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among 
ourselves and with all nations. 

I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever I 
may return, with a task before me greater than that which 
rested upon Washington. Without the aid of that Divine 
Being who ever attended him, we cannot succeed. With 
that assistance we cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can 
go with me and remain with you, and be everywhere for 

[11] 



good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To 
His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you 
will commend me, I bid you, friends and neighbors, an af- 
fectionate farewell. 



Lincoln boivs in tribute to America and departs. The 
Music at once plays and all the people rise and sing 

The Battle Hymn of the Republic 

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord ; 

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are 

stored ! 
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift 
sword : 
His truth is marching on ! 
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on! 

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling 

camps ; 
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and 

damps ; 
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring 
lamps ; 
His day is marching on ! 
Glory ! Glory ! Hallelujah ! His day is marching on ! 

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat ; 
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat ; 
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! Be jubilant, my feet! 
Our God is marching on ! 
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on I 

In the beauty of the lillies Christ was born across the .sea, 
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me; 
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free. 
While God is marching on ! 
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! While God is marching on! 

The President of the Umversitu then rises and delivers 

The Lincoln Day Address 
After this is concluded, there is snug the song. 

[\2l 



On Forever, Illinois! 

Illinois ! Above the prairie 

High thine eagle wings his flight, 
Watching, vigilant and wary, 

Over human toil and right ! 
Eagle-pinioned, on with joy! 

On forever, Illinois! 
Through the storm sweep on with joy ! 

On forever, Illinois! 

Illinois ! The times are calling 

Souls that fear no sacrifice ! 
Men for Liberty are falling ; 

Will your sons refuse the price? 
Scorning danger, on with joy ! 

On forever, Illinois! 
On through death ! On, on with joy ! 

On forever, Illinois ! 

Illinois ! Thy meed of glory 

That all men, till years are dust, 
Shall thy sons, high famed in story, 

Silent, heaven-borne eagles trust! 
On through death ! On, on with joy ! 

On forever, Illinois! 
Eagle-pinioned, on with joy ! 

On forever, Illinois! 



The Benediction is then pronounced by the President of 
the University. 



President : Now may He who breathes the breath of life into 
all men breathe His Spirit into the State of Illinois, 
and into the United States of America, and into All 
the Peoples of the Earth, inspiring them to do His 
Holy Will under the perfect Law of Liberty. Amen. 



All then join in singing two stanzas of 

[13] 



America 

My Country, 'tis of thee, 
Sweet Land of Liberty, 

Of thee I sing! 
Land where my fathers died, 
Land of the Pilgrims' pride, 
From every mountain side 

Let Freedom ring! 

Our fathers' God, to Thee, 
Author of Liberty, 

To Thee we sing : 
Long may our land be bright 
With Freedom's holy light ; 
Protect us by Thy might, 

Great God, our King ! 



To the Lincoln music, now played as a Recessional March, 
America and Illiyiois, with their military escorts, the President 
and the Deans of the University, and the Committees descend 
from the platform, and go out by the center aisle. 



I 



Note — The Address of Abraham Lincohi herein presented is a com- 
pilation from Lincoln's writings. Nothing has been written in to adapt 
what he said to the present purpose. The only change is in the last para- 
graph, taken from the Springfield Farewell, in which the pronoun "I" 
has been changed to "we". The passages used are, in order, from 

Letter to J. T. Mills, 18G4 ; 

Special Session Message to Congress, 18G1; 

Second Annual Message to Congress, 1862; 

Proclamation for Day of Prayer, 1863; 

The Getty.sburg Address, ISGH; 

Special Session Message, 18G1; 

Cooper Union Address, 1860; 

Second Inaugural Aildross, 1865; 

The Springfield Farewell, 1861. 

W. C L. 

[14] 



ON FORCTfjR, Illinois: 

Words by W. C. LHiigdoji Music by J. Lawrence Erb 




Ill-i-nois: A-bove the pral-rie H Igh thine ea-gl© wlng*hl3 flight. 




Watch-lng, vlg-i-lant and wa - ry, - ver humran toll and right'. 
:M f: ^. ^ 4 




Ea-gle pin-ioned, on with Joyl On for-ev-er. 111 - 1 - nola 
^ ■?■ . s- tr S 4-' -ir ^ -^ ;• ^ 




Through the, storm sweep on with joyl On f or - ev -ior, llll-l- nolsl 

-^ 1^' f- -gr -fr- . ^' .. „ . /A It . f- ft 




(Copyright, 1918, by W. C, Langdon and J. L. Erb) 



Illinois! The times are calling 

Souls that fear no sacrifice! 
Men for Liberty are falling; 

Will your sons refuse the price? 
Scorning danger, on with joy! 

On forever, Illinois! 
On through death! On, on with joy! 

On forever, Illinois! 

Illinois! Thy meed of glory 

That all men, till years are dust, 
Shall thy sons, high famed in story, 

Silent, heaven-borne eagles, trust! 
On through death! On, on with joy! 

On forever, Illinois! 
Eagle-pinioned, on with joy! 

On forever, Illinois! 



[15] 



THE LINCOLN DAY CONVOCATION 

FOR THE 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 

was presented in the Auditorium, February 12, 1918, by the 

Committee on Convocations and under the auspices 

of the University War Committee. 

THE PERSONS IN THE CONVOCATION 

The President of the University of Illinois 

The Deans of the University of Illinois 

The University War Committee 

The University Commandant 

The Commandant of the United States School 
OF Military Aeronautics 

America Mildred V. Strong 

Illinois Lucille Peirson 

Abraham Lincoln Kenneth McKenzie 



The Music for the Convocation under the direction of J. 
Lawrence Erb, F.A.G.O. The Lincoln Music and the 
song, On Forever, Illinois ! were composed by him. 

The Costumes of America and Illinois were designed by Mrs. 
William Chauncy Langdon. 

The University War Committee: David Kinley, Chairman; 
Eugene Davenport, Stephen Alfred Forbes, Frederick 
Haynes Newell, Stuart Pratt Sherman, Charles Alton 
Ellis, Charles Manfred Thompson. 

The Committee on Lincoln Day Convocation: Daniel 
Kilham Dodge, Chairman ; Ernest Bernbaum. Harry 
Franklin Harrington, William Chauncy Langdon, Rex 
R. Thompson. 

[ir.] 



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